<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2 Final//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" Content="text-html; charset=Windows-1252">
<LINK REL="stylesheet" TYPE="TEXT/CSS" HREF="Orbiter.css">
<title>Introduction</title>
<script language="JavaScript" src="master.js"></script>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF TEXT=#000000>
<IMG SRC="banner.jpg" WIDTH="100%">
<h1><a name="hid_intro"></a>Introduction</h1>
<p>
ORBITER is a free flight simulator that goes beyond the confines of Earth's atmosphere. Launch the Space Shuttle from Kennedy Space Center to deploy a satellite, rendezvous with the International Space Station or take the futuristic Delta-glider for a tour through the solar system - the choice is yours.</p>
<p>
But make no mistake - ORBITER is not a space shooter. The emphasis is firmly on realism and the learning curve can be steep. Be prepared to invest some time and effort to brush up on your maths and orbital mechanics background.</p>
<p>
At the very least, you should familiarise yourself with the primary spacecraft controls and instrumentation in this manual to get your ship off the ground. "Advanced" missions like rendezvous manoeuvres or interplanetary trips will require a lot more effort!</p>
<p>
Suggestions, corrections, bug reports (and praise) for the ORBITER software or this documentation are always welcome. The preferred way to post your comments, in particular if they may be of interest to other users, is via the ORBITER mailing list or the ORBITER web forum, available via links from the official Orbiter site: <a href="http://orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/orbit.html">orbit.medphys.ucl.ac.uk/orbit.html</a> (alias <a href="http://www.orbitersim.com">www.orbitersim.com</a>).</p>
 <p>
Unfortunately I can't guarantee to answer all Orbiter-related mail sent directly to me.
Before posting a bug report make sure you have got the latest ORBITER release, and that your problem is not already documented in the FAQ, the bug tracker or the bug forum (all accessible from the ORBITER home page).</p>
<p>
ORBITER - the thinking being's simulator.</p>
<p>
Enjoy the ride!</p>
<p>
Martin Schweiger
</p>
</BODY>
</HTML>
